Starter switch seasoning and testing apparatus



STARTER SWITCH SEASONING AND TESTING APPARATUS Filed July 9, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig 1.

j a l 36 0 lnvervtov: 33 0 Leon I-LZglra,

52 His A'L' trovnea.

Feb. 14, 1950 ZYTA 2,497,525

STARTER SWITCH SEASQNING AND TESTING APPARATUS Filed July 9, 194'? 2 Sheets$heet 2 Invewlror: Leon H. Zgba,

His A+bor'-ne5.

Patented Feb. 14, 1950 STARTER SWITCH SEASONING AND TESTING APPARATUS Leon H. Zyta, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application July 9', 1947, Serial. No. 759,785

8 Claims.

My invention relates to apparatus for aging and testing automatic starter switches for fluorescent and other discharge lamps and other electrical devices. Such starter switches perform a switching function upon being supplied with electrical energy to provide both starting and operating conditions to the electric device they control and are usually adapted to repeat the switching function until proper operation of said device occurs.

An object of my invention is to provide apparatus for testing the operation of automatically functioning starter switches of the type used with fluorescent lamps and other electrical devices. A further object is to provide apparatus for testing starter switches wherein a glow discharge in a confined atmosphere supplies. the heat for actuating a bi-metal switching element. Theapparatus is equally well adapted to test other types of starter switches, for instance; another" type of starter switch which is caused to function by the effect of heat from a resistance member on a bimetal switching element; and still another type which operates electro-magnetically.

Another object of my invention is to provide means in combination with testing apparatus for aging and seasoning starter switches wherein repeated operation of the starter switches is effected and abnormal electrical potential is applied during said aging and seasoning. Normally the starter switch is connected to a fluorescent lamp or other electrical device which starts to function after a short starting interval bringing about a change in the electrical potential applied to said starter switch so that it is no longer capable of being aged and seasoned.

Another object of my invention is to provide apparatus for testing starter switches wherein all conditions of improper operation are indicated. Unsatisfactory starter switches. may have unusually low resistance (usually a short-circuited condition) or may have the proper resistance but be defective in several other ways was not to be capable of operating within adesirable interval of time. switches for unusually low resistance and cam bility of operation within a definitely limited time interval is an adequate testing procedure.

Other objects and advantages of .my invention will appear from the following description of species thereof and from the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, Fig. 1. is aside elevation of one species of aging and testing'apparatuscomprie my inventiom said elevation being reduced in The testing. of all starter height by the removal of an intermediate horizontal portion of. uniform construction and having a vertical portion" substantially equal to a quarter section broken therefrom; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the aging. and testing apparatus from which is broken a portion overlying two of the heads thereof; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a starter switch tested by the apparatus; Fig. 4'is a perspective view, partially inphantom, of the starter switch holder of each head; Fig. 5 is a schematic wiring diagram of one head, and the associate electrical apparatus connected thereto at the first test station of the apparatus; and Fig. 6

is a perspective view of a commutator constitut- 7 ing part of the apparatus.

The starter to be tested. and shown in Fig. 3, is of the well-known glow switch type com.- prising a sealed glass bulb b filled with an ionizable atmospherev like neon and containing a fixed wire electrode 0 and a deformable inverted U-shaped. bimetallic strip electrode at connected to respective lead wires 35 and 34. Upon application of a suitable potential across the leads 34, 35 a glow discharge is formed between electrodes 0 and d whichheats the bimetallic electrode :1 and causes it to bend into engagement with the electrode 0, thereby extinguishing the glow dis charge so that the electrode d cools and again separates from electrode 0. For a further understanding of the construction and operation of the switch reference may be had, for example to Patent 2,329,134 to L. R. Peters which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

- which in combination with a corresponding up per disc 5 is joined to a-rotatable center column Bby the flanged hubs I and 8 and form the basic elements of the turret The mounting tor the turret l is'provided, on the one hand, bythe: bushing 9, bearing HI- and the stationary base plate H- which cooperate to hold the lower end of the center column 6-; and, on the other hand, the nut k2,,ball bearing l3, bushin l4, bearing l5 which cooperate to hold the upper end of the center column 6 and which are sup.-

.ported from said base, plate ll through three channel shaped bars I! extending radially over said turret I. The functions of the apparatus occurring with the rotation of the turret l are under the control of switching means arranged in groups of three completely enclosed switches l8, I9 and 23 mounted on the top surface of the disc and associated with each holder 3. Each group of switches l8, l9 and 20, the associated holder 3 and still other apparatus make up a separate entity referred to herein as one of the heads of the apparatus. A commutator 2| mounted on the adjacent portion of the center column 6 provides the means of supplying electrical energy to all the heads during rotation of the turret I which rotation carries the switches I 8, l9 and into engagement with cams 22, 23 and 24 on a stationary ring 25 mounted on the channel bars I! so as to effect the desired operation and circuit changes initiated by said switches [8, I9 and 20. The sole drivin means (not shown) of the apparatus consists of an electric motor and such other means as are required to rotate the turret l at a uniform rate, preferably at one revolution per minute, and which effects the rotation through engagement with the disc 4, the center column 6 or other members of the apparatus in wellknown manner.

The apparatus is preferably mounted on a table at which an operator may be seated. The operator inserts a starter switch 2 in each of the holders 3 of the apparatus in the course of their regular presentation at a loading station and subsequently removes the switch therefrom after the rotation of the turret I has advanced said starter switch 2 to an adjacent station or completely around the apparatus depending on the indications thereof. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the loading station appears at A where the holder 3, which is comprised of two complementary blocks 26 and 21 of insulation material joined by a metal strap 28 of spring material and carrying two metal contact shoes 29 and 30, is under the influence of the stationary cam rail 3! which keeps the blocks 25 and 2'! more widely separated to allow the more ready entrance of the starter switch 2 therebetween. Block 21 is a stationary member of the combination since it is attached to the disc 4 by the screws 32-32 whereas the block 23 is supported solely by the metal strap 28 and is biased toward block 21 bythe springing tendency of said metal strap 28 so as to take a position determined by the engagement of the screw 33 extending therefrom with the cam 3|. In inserting the starter switch 2 into the holder 3, the operator first bends the leads 34 and 35 (Fig. 3) extendin from one end thereof back along the sides of the starter switch 2 and then orientates said starter switch 2 with respect to the holder 3 so that the insertion of said end into the opening formed by the contact shoes 29 and 39 causes said leads 34 and 35 to engage respective contact shoes 29 and 39. The insertion of the starter switch 2 into the holder 3 is limited by the seating of the end of said starter switch 2 upon a shoulder 36 in the contact shoes 29 and 3D and separates the blocks 26 and 2! still further so that the full closing force of the metal strap 28 is free to press the contact shoes 29 and 39 against the leads 34 and 35 of the starter switch 2. The advance of an empty holder 3 beyond station A by the rotation of the turret l carries the screw 33 beyond the extent of the cam 3! allowing the blocks 26 and:2'l to move closer together thereby restricting the insertion of a starter switch 2 therein.

The first of the succession of seasoning and testing functions of the apparatus occurs when the holder 3 is advanced beyond the loading station A and is initiated by the bringing of the spring contacts 31 and 38, located directly below said holder 3 on the bottom surface of the disc 4, into engagement with the stationary contacts '39 and 49 on the insulating block 4! on the surface of table 42. As indicated in the wiring diagram, Fig. 5, the spring contacts 3! and 38 are connected electrically to the contact shoes 29 and 33 of the holder 3 and their engagement with stationary contacts 39 and 43 results in the starter switch 2 being connected in a test circuit including the alarm bell 43 and the sec ondary of the transformer 44. The primary of the transformer 44 is connected to a line source of electrical energy 45 at all times so that an electrical potential is being applied to the starter switch 2 which, if properly manufactured, presents an open-circuit high-resistance condition and does not ring the alarm bell 43. The electrical potential applied to the starter switch 2 is not suificient to effect operation thereof so that it is under test in an inoperative condition. Should a defective (short-circuited, for instance) starter switch 2 be contained in the holder 3 so that the circuit therethrough is of low resistance or complete (a condition occurrin if the bimetal control element (1 thereof is improperly'shaped) the alarm bell 43 rings and the operator immediately removes said defective starter switch 2 from the holder 3 so that further test and seasoning by the apparatus is eliminated. The continued operation of the apparatus rotates the turret I so that the spring contacts 3'! and 39 of the holder 3 pass beyond the stationary contacts 39 and 49 breaking the circuit to the test means of which said contacts 39 and 49 are a part. The rotation of the turret i also effects the start of the seasoning operation by bringing the control arm 46 of the switch 58, which is mounted directly over said holder 3, into engagement with the cam 22 so that said switch. !3 is actuated. The switch i8 and the adjacent switches l9 and 29 which control electrical connections made to the starter switch 2 contained in the holder 3 are an enclosed type in general commercial use and have a movable control arm adapted to engage the end of a longitudinally movable control pin extending from the enclosure. Switch i8, for instance, has a control arm 46 pivoted on a pin extending from a plate 43a attached to one side of the enclosure and is actuated through downward pressure on the roller 461) on the end of the control arm 45 which pressure moves said control arm 46 so that it pushes the control pin 46c a short distance into the enclosure whereby said switch It is actuated. The particular switches illustrated are manufactured by the Microswitch Corporation of Freeport, Illinois. At the moment of operation of switch til, the wired connections to the starter switch2 provide a circuit from the contact shoe 39 through wire 41 to the condenser 43 and to the switch l9 which is influenced by cam 23 so that a circuit is made to wire 49; and a second circuit from contact shoe 29 through wire 59 to the condenser 43 and to the switch 29 which normally makes a circuit through wire 5! to the grounded output lead of the fluorescent lamp ballast 52. The actuation of switch It by the cam 22 at the start of the seasoning operation memes:

connects wire 49 to the-otheroutput-lead 53 o! the'fluorescent lamp ballast 52 and tliereby'ap plies the electrical potential of said secondary directly to the starterswitch 2. The input leads 54 and 55 of the lamp ballast 52 are connected to the conducting rings 56 and 51 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6) respectively, of the commutator 2i and supplya constant source of electrical potential to said ballast 52 since brushes 58 and 59 (ofthe usual design) also connected to the line source ofcurrent 45 are constantly engaged therewith. The commutator rings 56 and 51 are mounted on an insulating body 69 held by the center column 6 of the apparatus so as to turn with the turret I whereasthe brushes 58 and 59 are mounted on spindles EI extending froma ring62 of insulation held by a flange on the stationary bearing'I5. The mounting for the fluorescent lamp ballasts 52 associated with each of the holders 3 about the turret I is provided in a series (only one being shown) of plates63 held on collars 54 attached to the center column B, which plates 53 are equidistantly located about said column 6 and each support ag-roup of four lamp ballasts 52. The connection of the full output potential of the lamp ballast 52 to the starter switch 2 causes a glow discharge to build up within said switch 2 to heat the bimetal switching element (1 thereof to effect bending thereof. Upon'interengagement of the electrodes (1 and c, the glow discharge within the starter switch 2 ceases and the bimetal element cools'and bends in the reverse" direction so that it breaks the circuit therethrough. The applied electrical potential can again start a discharge within the starter switch 2 to repeat the previous cycle of operation. These repeated cycles of operation effect the seasoning or aging of the starter switch 2 and usually take place many times during the presently described portion of the rotation of the turret I which con-' tinues during 180 degrees ofmovement and for a period of one-half minute, after which the control arm 46 of switch I8 moves beyond the end of cam 22 and said switch I8 resumes its'normal position.

The circuit connections to the'starter switch 2? .following the seasoning and aging operations of the apparatus are like those in effect'prior to said operations and are incomplete so that said starter. switch 2 is inoperative and therefore cools. Sucha condition exists for 60 degrees of rotation of the turret I which is ten seconds of time in the present instance during which time the starter switch 2 cools substantially to a more normal startingcondition.

The succeeding step in the operation of the apparatus occurs when rotation of the turret I carries the control arm 65 of switch l9 from the end of cam 23 allowing said switch I9 to take a normal position, and the control arm 56 of switch 20 engages the cam 24 causing switch 20 to take an open position. These switch operations connect the starter switch 2 in the normal starting arrangement with the fluorescent lamp 6! which is mounted adjacent to the holder'ton the com-- mercial lamp sockets 68 and 69 which are, in-turn,

fastened to the turret discs 4 and 5 by the brackets" 10. The circuit connections to the starter 2 and" lamp 61 are then through'the'wire 41, switch I9 and wire II to the cathode T2 at one end of the lamp 6? and through wire 50 and wire 13 to the cathode I4 at the opposite end thereof. The circuit connections from the ballast 52,to. the. lamp: 6 are through lead 53; switch I8 and wire 15 to: cathode-.12 and lead 5Iandwire I61 tocathodefl4:

the turret I turning 60 degrees further, when switches I9 and 20 are again actuated. Because of the rate; of rotation of the turret I, the test, period-is'limited to 10 seconds, the interval within which aniacceptablestarter switch 2 is required to'function.

The succeeding-interval of movement of theholder. 3' and1the starter switch 2 completes the;

cyclezof operation :of 'the apparatus and presents said holder 3 and starter switch 2 at an unloading area B before the operation. The initial circuit connections are re-established at such times by operation of switches I9 and '20 by the passage: of the'cam 23 intoengagement with the control arm 65 of switch I 9- and passage of the control arm-66 of switch 20 from cam 24. This arrangement-of the switches I9 and 2D establishes an in.- complete-circuit iromwire 41 through switch I9- to wire 49and-the open terminal of switch I8 and causes wire 50to be grounded and the cathode l4 to be'shunted through switch 20 and lead 5|.

The remaining circuit connections to the fluores-- cent lamp 6! remain and continue to keep it operating if the starterswitch 2 has operated satis-' factorily in the test period. The operator has merely to look at the short section I? of the lamp. Bl which appears below the light shield 13 to determine if the starter switch 2 in the holder 3 I being unloaded is acceptable andeither saves or discards the starter switches 2 that are taken from holder 3 in front of lighted or unlighted' lamps respectively. Only the short lower section ll of the fluorescent lamps 6'! in the apparatus are coated with fluorescent material so as to reduce considerably'the annoying glare of light givenoif'thereby as theapparatus operates.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, a movable carrier, a head on said carrier including a holder for supporting and makingelectrical connections to a starter switch, said head having mounted. thereon. a discharge lamp, a ballast" for said lamp, and switching. means, means for connecting said ballast to a source of electrical energy during movement of said head, means to connect'said lamp through contacts. of said switching means and through said ballast across said source of electrical energy and means to also connect said starter switch through other contacts of said switching means across said lamp, and means mounted along the course of movement of said head for actuating said switching means to close the aforesaid contactszand-connect said starter switch across said lamp and also connect said lamp through said ballast across said source of electrical energy whereby-to initiate starting and operation of said lamp so as to indicate at a location farther along saidcourse of movement by the operation of said lamp or failure thereof the operativeness or inoperativeness of said starter switch.

2. Apparatus of the class'described comprising in combination, a movable carrier, a head on said carrier including a holder for supporting and making electrical connections to a starter switch, saidl'ieadi having. mounted thereon a discharge lamp; a. ballast: for: said lamp; and switching means, means for connecting said ballast to a" source of electrical energy during movement of said head, means to connect said lamp through contacts of said switching means and through said ballast across said source of electrical energy and means to also connect said starter switch through other contacts of said switching means across said lamp, and means mounted along the course of movement of said head for actuating said switching means to close the aforesaid contacts and connect said starter switch across said lamp and also connect said lamp through said ballast across said source of electrical energy and to then open the said other contacts to disconnect only the starter switch after a definite short predetermined time interval during which an acceptable starter switch should start the lamp whereby to initiate starting and operation of said lamp so as to indicate at a location farther along said course of movement by the operation of said lamp or failure thereof the operativeness or inoperativeness of said starter switch.

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination, a movable carrier, a head on said carrier including a holder for supporting and making electrical connections to a starter switch, said head having mounted thereon a discharge lamp, a ballast for said lamp, and switching means, means for connecting said lamp to said ballast across a source of electrical energy during movement of said head, means to connect said starter switch through said switching means across said lamp, and means mounted along the course of movement of said head for actuating said switching means to first connect said starter switch across said lamp and to then disconnect the starter switch after a definite short predetermined time interval during which an acceptable starter switch should start the lamp whereby to initiate starting and operation of said lamp so as to indicate at a location farther along said course of movement by the operation of said lamp or failure thereof the operativeness or inoperativeness of said starter switch.

4. Apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination, a movable carrier, a head on said carrier including a holder for supporting and making electrical connections to a starter switch, said head having mounted thereon a discharge lamp, a ballast for said lamp and plural switching means, means for connecting said ballast to a source of electrical energy during move-- ment of said head, means to connect said starter switch through a first pair of contacts of said; switching means directly through said ballast across the source of electrical energy, means to connect said lamp through a second pair of contacts of said switching means and through said ballast across said source of electrical energy, and means to connect said starter switch through a third pair of contacts of said switching means across said lamp, and means mounted along the course of movement of said head for actuating said switching means to first close said first pairof contacts and then open them after a short predetermined time interval during which the starter switch is connected directly through said ballast across the electrical energy source so as to be aged and seasoned, said last-named actuating means being arranged to then close the second and third pairs of contacts of said switching means to connect said starter switch across said lamp and also connect said lamp through said ballast across said electrical energy source and to then open the third pair of contacts to disconnectonly the 75 starter switch after a definite short predetermined time interval during which an acceptable starter switch should start the lamp whereby to initiate starting and operation of said lamp so as to indicate at a location farther along said course of movement by the operation of said lamp or failure thereof the operativeness or inoperativeness of said starter switch.

5. Apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, a rotatable turret, a plurality of heads on said turret each including a holder for supporting and making electrical connections to a starter switch, each head also including a discharge lamp, a ballast for said lamp, and switching means, means for connecting the several ballasts to a source of electrical energy during rotation of the turret, means in each head to connect said lamp through contacts of said switching means and through said ballast across said source of electrical energy and means to also connect said starter switch through other contacts of said switching means across said lamp, and stationary cam means located adjacent the turret for actuating said switching means in each head to close the aforesaid contacts and connect said starter switch across said lamp and also connect said lamp through said ballast across said source of electrical energy whereby to initiate starting and operation of said lamp so as to indicate at a location farther along the course of movement of the head by the operation of said lamp or failure thereof the operativeness or inoperativeness of said starter switch.

6. Apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, a rotatable turret comprising upper and lower discs, a plurality of heads on said turret each including a holder on the lower disc for supporting and making electrical connections to a starter switch, each head also including a discharge lamp mounted on and between said discs, a ballast for said lamp, and switching means on the upper disc, means including a commutator on said turret for connecting the several ballasts to a source of electrical energy during rotation of the turret, means in each head to connect said lamp through contacts of said switching means and through said ballast across said source of electrical energy and means to also connect said starter switch through other contacts of said switching means across said lamp, and stationary cam means located over the upper disc for actuating said switching means in each head to close the aforesaid contacts and connect, said starter switch across said lamp and also connect said lamp through said ballast across said source of electrical energy whereby to initiate starting and operation of said lamp so as to indicate at a location farther along the course of movement of the head by the operation of said lamp or failure thereof the operativeness or inoperativeness of said starter switch.

7. In apparatus for testing glow switches of the type described, the combination of a gaseous electric discharge lamp, ballast means for said lamp, and switching means, means to connect said lamp through contacts of said switching means to said ballast means across a source of electrical energy and means to connect a glow switch under test through other contacts of said switching means across said lamp, and means for automatically actuating said switching means to close both aforesaid contacts in an eifort to start said lamp into operation and to then open the said other contacts to disconnect only the glow switch after a definite short predetermined time interval during which an acceptable glow switch should start the lamp whereby to permit observation of the lamp after said time interval to determine whether it has been started.

8. In apparatus for testing glow switches of the type described, the combination of a gaseous electric discharge lamp, ballast means for said lamp, and switching means, means to connect a glow switch under test through a first pair of contacts of said switching means directly to said ballast means across a source of electrical energy, means to connect said lamp through a second pair of contacts of said switching means to said ballast means across said source of electrical energy and means to connect the glow switch through a third pair of contacts of said switching means across said lamp, and means for automatically actuating said switching means to first close the first pair of contacts to effect repeated operation and consequent seasoning of said glow switch and to REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 968,448 Cary Aug. 23, 1910 2,243,755 James May 2'7, 1941 2,415,502 Lifshitz Feb. 11, 1947 

